The Wolf Who Is Not
by Wanderer2
Summary: *CHAPTER 5 UP Finally!!!!!* Rated PG13 for future chapters. Very bad title! need suggestions! Please! Someone has decided that the Ringbearer needs a new gaurdian and forces a human girl into the role, the only problem is, she's not given the choice.
1. Begin at the Beginning

This is my first story I'm putting out on the internet so please, at least consider that if you decide  
to send me down in flames. I'm still a little on the process of hammering out who Liam is. A lot  
like I imagine she is at this stage in her life as well so ;) maybe I have a good excuse. Please  
forgive any typos and grammatical errors, I have no beta so this is all me kiddies. All the obvious  
stuff belongs to Tolkien and I'm sure you can figure out what doesn't, your smart folks right? No  
copyright infringement is intended, I'm just having a little fun. No, Liam is not a crazy LOTR  
fan girl, it doesn't even exist in her universe. 'A Wrinkle in Time' is an absolutely fabulous book  
I simply adore by Madeleine L'Engle. I plan on having her quote out of it later in the story, so  
brownie points for anyone who can tell me where the quote comes from when the time comes.  
Also brownie points for anyone who can figure out what Liam means. This story is more movie-  
verse so I apologize for anything I get wrong. If I do get anything wrong please tell me and I'll  
do my best to fix it. Anyway, onto the story! Enjoy!  
  
  
  
Ch. 1 Begin at the Beginning   
By Wanderer  
  
Liam waved goodbye to her friends "Bye guys! See ya Monday!!"  
Mackenzie and Cheryl waved back "Later LeLe" they called  
Liam rolled her eyes as she got onto the bus, Gods how she hated that nickname! But they were  
the only friends she had made since moving to Illinois.  
She found her seat at the back of the bus and sat, pulling out her book 'A Wrinkle in Time.' She  
loved that book, though many people gave her funny looks for reading it. They gave her funny  
looks for reading anything that wasn't the school newspaper. But it didn't matter, anything  
fantasy, anything sci-fi, anything that spoke of anything that was centuries older then she was or  
centuries to come she adored. It was her place to get lost, her place to feel loved, in a way the  
people in her fantasy novels were her family, much more then those who lived with her on that  
little farm.   
____  
  
"Liam Tyler!"   
Liam winced and shouted down stairs "My name is Liam Warren and I already did my choirs  
Cindy!" She heard the sounds of steps as her new mom came up the stairs and then pocked her  
head in the door "One:" she said "I am your mother now and you will call me as such. Two: you  
are part of this family now Liam Tyler and you will act like it and be grateful, now get  
downstairs and set the table."   
Liam stood up and pushed past her foster mother "All you had to do is say "'come set the table  
Liam."' and I would have done it." she grumbled as she headed downstairs. 'Bitch' she thought  
in her mind.  
_____  
  
He hunted, for one lost he hunted, for one who would serve his purpose well he hunted, the  
Ringbearer must have a protector that would not be tempted by the power he carried, for that he  
hunted. Across Middle Earth he hunted, across the universe, across time he hunted until he  
scented his prey and devising his plan, gave chase. She would do, yes, this one would do just  
fine, she had to. 


	2. Worries and Frets

This is the second chapter of my story and before you ask: yes! Conner's adopted parents are a  
gay couple and if you have a problem with that you can just deal. Anyone who is prejudiced  
against gays are bigots and idiots and there ain't any prettier way of putting it.*steps down off  
soapbox* he he. Anyway Everything owned by blah blah blah, read the disclaimer in chapter one  
if your that interested. I'm making any money on this I swear. I admit except for having a few  
friends caught in it I know next to nothing about foster care or adoption. If I get anything wrong I  
apologize now, no offense is meant to anyone. This is more movie-verse so if I get anything  
wrong please, please tell me! I'm learning everything I can about the books while I wait for my  
copies to arrive. Now on with the story!!! Enjoy!  
  
Ch. 2 Worries and Frets  
By Wanderer  
  
As they trudged through the mountains Sam caught himself more and more glancing at Mr.  
Frodo. He was worried for his Master. 'Don't you loose him Samwise Gamgeese' his mind  
whispered and his heart echoed it back to him. That promise he had given Gandalf and the  
himself to protect Frodo Baggins even if it cost him his own life. He meant to keep it. The only  
problem was, Sam did not know if he could do it, not by himself.  
_____  
  
'How to catch her?' He thought. 'How to draw her into my web and bind her to do what must be  
done? A gift perhaps..... yes, that will do.'  
  
_____  
  
"Liam, mail!" it was after dinner and upon hearing the call she jumped up, running out of her  
room and down the stairs like a flash. She plucked the package with her name on it off the table  
and raced back up stairs "Thanks!" she called on her way past.   
"Your welcome!" her foster father, Mark, called after her.  
"I can't stand that girl sometimes!" Cindy steamed "We adopted her, brought her into our home,  
clothed her, fed her and she still treats us like we're nothing!"  
Mark sighed, "Give it some time honey, she's new to this whole thing, she's never even been to  
Illinois, she's never lived on a farm and she's just been separated from her little brother,  
wouldn't you be a little short with everybody?"  
Cindy 'humpf'ed "I suppose so," she admitted "But at the very least she could be a little more  
grateful!"  
  
  
Meanwhile, Liam heard none of this. She ripped into her package grinning. 'Coppers Cove,  
Texas' it had read on the front. Conner had sent her something!!! In the package was a letter and  
a small box. She read the letter first.  
  
Dear Sis  
  
Hey! How are ya?! Everything's alright here in Texas, I miss you a lot though!! How are things  
in Illinois? Have they made you clean out a pig stay yet? Bob and Ron (my new parents, their  
great!) took me shopping the other day at a craft fair. I thought it was kinda girly but they liked  
it. This funny old man was selling jewelry and I found some that just screamed "LIAM!!!" and  
guess what? THEY HELPED ME BUY IT FOR YOU!!!! Isn't that great?!(That's what's in the  
box!) They're even talking about getting enough money to adopt you too! They say their really  
sorry they couldn't get you too and their real sorry I miss you so that's why I think they do all  
kinds of nice stuff for me. I wonder how long until it wears off but I'm really happy and I hope  
you are too with Cindy and Mark. Oh, guess what? I made the Little League team! It's great! Uh-  
oh! I gotta go, I gotta game soon. See ya letter Liam!  
  
Your Bro,  
Conner.  
P.S. Haha, get the joke?  
  
Liam set the letter down smiling, at first Conner had been just as bitter she was about being  
separated but now, he seemed to be adjusting. She was glad he was happy but some where deep  
down inside she felt betrayed. How dare he be so happy she wasn't! How dare he adjust to being  
separated when she had worked so hard to keep them together! It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair!  
She wanted her family back.  
_____  
  
"They went this way." Legolas told them, pointing down the correct path. Aragorn nodded,  
agreeing and Gimli said nothing. He was smart enough to know not to argue with an elf and a  
ranger when it came to tracking in a forest. And though he would not admit it he did hope they  
would find the Little Ones before they became Orc meat. 


	3. The Change: Liam's Chapter

Here's my third chapter. As always I own nothing, am making no money, and please please  
review. Also thank you to The Alciontae Shadow, my first reviewer! Anyway, onto the story!!  
  
  
Ch 3: The Change: Liam's Chapter  
  
Liam sighed as she threw herself down on her bed with her brother's present. She opened it and  
gasped. A beautiful garnet pendant set in gold hung from a thin gold chain. She lifted it to the  
light and laughed in joy at the beautiful shards of red that shone from it. 'Conner bought this at a  
craft fair???' She thought amazed. She put it on and studied it in the mirror, "I can't wait to  
show it to the girls tomorrow!" she said to herself. She would have to write a special thank you  
letter along with her normal one she decided. Quickly changing into her pjs and laying down in  
bed she fell asleep, clutching her gift and dreaming of a happier place then this.   
____  
'Yes!' He knew 'Now is the time! Now is the time to catch her in my web!'  
____  
  
In the darkness Liam's necklace began to glow, pulsing an unearthly light. The light grew and  
engulfed her until it was blinding and then suddenly it winked out and was gone, leaving nothing  
but an empty bed.  
____  
  
Liam's eyes snapped open and she looked around. She was surrounded by grey and darkness.  
  
"The Fight of a Demon."   
  
Her head snapped towards the sound but she saw no one "What?" she started  
  
"The Speed of a Horse"  
  
She spun around, she thought the voice had come from behind her, "Who's there?!" she shouted  
and still nothing.  
  
"The Strength of an Ogre."  
  
This time she thought the voice had come from her left "Who are you?!" she shouted and no  
answer came.  
  
"And the Form..."  
  
"I don't understand!"  
  
"Of a Wolf."  
  
There seemed to be a final-ness to those words. Liam felt something inside of her began change.  
It felt as if her insides were shifting, her bones breaking and regrowing in different positions.  
She clutched her stomach and felt her knees collapse and leave her on the floor as they too broke  
and regrew. She threw her head back and screamed, she could not bear the pain. The scream   
turned into howl and then finally stopped. Where Liam had once stood was large black wolf,  
eyes like amber. 'What's happened to me?' Liam thought desperately 'What have you done?'  
she asked the voice.  
This time it answered "When the One Ring is destroyed and the Ring Bearer is brought whole  
and well home again then and only then will the spell be lifted."  
'And until then?' she thought desperately  
"When neither sun nor moon touches the Earth, then may you take human form."   
'Neither sun nor moon! But that's impossible! And who is this Ring Bearer?' In answer she saw  
an image in her mind of a man. She got the impression of how small he was and of the burden he  
carried and then.. nothing. She blacked out and lay on the hard cold ground.   
____  
  
A wolf slept alone in the forests of Middle-Earth, the only sign of it's once upon a time humanity  
the garnet and gold that hung on a thin chain around it's neck. 


	4. Welcome to Middle Earth! (I suck at chap...

Hello Everybody and welcome to my long awaited 4th chapter, thank you to everyone  
who reviewed and Congrats to Kierce who figured out the meaning of Liam's name! Mucho  
brownie points for you! Anyway, as always I own none of the origenial charas, whish belong to  
Mr. J.R.R. Tolkien and am making no money. Now, onto the story!   
  
  
Welcome to Middle-Earth!  
  
"Come along Mr. Frodo, you must eat." Sam urged his companion.   
"I'm not hungry." Frodo mumbled   
Sam's eyes widened, this was must un-Hobbit like behavior! "Not hungry Mr. Frodo?" he asked  
worried, "Your not sick are you?"  
Frodo shook his head "No Sam, I'm alright."  
"Then please eat Mr. Frodo! You need to keep your strength up! After all, you don't want me to  
have to carry you all the way the Mordor do you?" he joked   
Frodo shook his head and managed to grin at the very bad joke. "Hand it here then." he assented  
and began to eat. 'What would I do without Sam?' he wondered.  
  
Sam looked at his Master 'Poor Master' he thought 'If only..' but he shook his head and  
let it go, it was no use wishing for something that was unreachable.  
_____  
  
Liam woke up feeling sore 'What a strange dream.' she thought. She stood and stretched,  
not yet opening her eyes. Feeling the need to shake herself out she did so and then yawned.  
Finally she opened her eyes and looked around 'A forest?' she thought, 'What am I doing in a  
forest?' she began taking better stock of her surroundings and realized her eye level was lower  
then it should be, or maybe everything was bigger 'I could have sworn I stood...AHHH!'   
It had finally occurred to the Liam to look down. To her complete and utter shock she  
found instead of two feet she had paws. She screeched in surprise but to her ears it sound more  
like a shocked 'yip' and a loud bark.   
She circled around twice and this time took stock of herself, remembering the dream.  
She indeed had four large black paws, a muzzle and black fur. She was, for all intents and  
purposes, a wolf. 'But I thought wolves were color blind...' she wondered but let it go, realizing  
she should not question small miracles. She remembered what the voice had told her last night,  
'Ringbearer eh?' checking the sun she figured it was still early morning and turning her nose  
into the wind she found she knew the scent of the one she hunted and with that, she set out.  
  
  
It had been two days since her arrival in.. were ever she was. Not once had she ever  
experienced a time when neither sun nor moon touched the Earth and she had begun to think it  
was just a bit of false hope, like throwing a rabid dog an old bone to get it to behave. Worthless.  
But she had other things to think of. In her two days she had learned much of this place, if not  
it's name. She had began to hear the talk of the animals around her, and learn their words. She  
learned she was in a forested valley below what her fellows called 'New Mountain.' Animals  
she  
found had an old and wide stretching sense of memory and she felt awkward suddenly immersed  
in it. She meet other wolves and ran with them for a short time. She gained their memory of  
times long forgotten. She remembered great wars and times of light and times of darkness that  
she knew in the human part of her mind, even if she had been born in this place, she could not  
have seen. She was given the great memory of when Elves called them Brother and Sister and of  
the Birth of Men and Dwarves. Of course the wolves and other animals did not use those words,  
they called Elves 'The First' and 'First Brothers' and 'First Sisters'. Dwarves were called 'The  
Children of the Mountain' and 'Mountain Brother' and though they were rare 'Mountain Sister'.  
Man as a whole had no names yet, they were not yet old enough she learned, but some of them  
did have special names. Some who had earned a special place among the wolves and all the  
animals and she learned their names too.  
She also learned of the Great Darkness that had fallen over the land once more. The other  
animals of the valley whispered to her of the awful creatures which walked the world at it's beck  
and call. They spoke of creatures called 'The Lost' which had once been Men but had been  
twisted by some power and had fallen to the darkness. She learned of members of the First  
which had been taken and hurt beyond repair by the Darkness and now were called 'The  
Twisted'. And she learned of new creatures, wrought of Twisted and Man which had no name  
but above all else all animals seemed to despise. There was nothing natural to them, they hated  
for the pure purpose of it, they destroyed to destroy. The Lost were to be avoided, the Twisted to  
be pitied and killed but their children, these new creatures, were to be hated and destroyed, for  
they killed without reason, and without rhyme. All these things Liam learned as she sought the  
Ringbearer.  
And so it came that on the eve of her second day Liam found what she had hunted for.  
She recognized the Ringbearer from the image she had been given but she did not recognize his  
companion, whom she soon learned was named Sam. Sam called the Ringbearer 'Mr. Frodo' so  
she did too, though she thought them queer little creatures. They were short and reminded her of  
Man, but seemed ... better somehow. That was the best words she could think of to describe  
these little creatures she was set to protect. 'Now to get them to trust me?' she wondered and  
then the idea came to her. She gave a wolfish smile and raced off into the forest.  
_____  
  
"Let's stop here Sam." Frodo asked. Sam nodded and began to set up camp, starting a  
fire and taking out what little they had left to eat. Frodo sat down on a log and stared up at the  
mountain they would cross tomorrow. The ring grew heavier and heavier on his mind every day.  
Some nights he prayed he wished they could get to Mordor tomorrow and he could be rid of this  
horrible thing. Others nights he wished they would never find Mordor and he could keep the ring  
forever.   
  
As Sam began to prepare their meager dinner, he heard something in the forest and his  
head snapped up "Did you hear that Mr. Frodo?" he asked. Frodo was on his feet with Sting  
already out, it wasn't glowing. Sam straightened up further and drew his own little sword, the  
noise had come again. "Who's there?" Sam shouted. "I warn you if..."  
  
A wolf stepped out of the forest.   
  
A huge, black, with glowing eyes and large teeth wolf stepped out of the forest.  
  
Sam began to shake. He had faced the Nine, Orcs and Galadriel but not wolves, not yet.  
He stepped infront of Mr. Frodo to protect him and brandished his sword "Don't you come any  
closer you.. you"  
The wolf cocked it's head to the side, as if it was confused and took a few steps closer.  
That's when they noticed it had something in it's mouth. "What's that Sam?" Frodo asked.  
Sam looked at it "I don't rightly know Mr. Frodo."  
At this point the wolf did the strangest thing. It dropped it's eyes and lowered it's head,  
as if it was bowing and then it dropped what ever it had in it's mouth. Next it turned and ran  
back into the forest, stopping only once to gaze back at them before disappearing.  
  
The two hobbits stood, stilling brandishing their swords, trying to absorb the bit of  
weirdness they had just gone through. Finally Frodo sheathed his sword and asked "What did it  
drop Sam?"  
Sam put his sword back and went over to see. His grimaced slightly in distaste as he got  
blood on his hands. "It looks like the better part of a rabbit. Do you think it's poisoned? Or got  
something wrong with it? Other then being dead?"  
Frodo shook his head "I don't know."  
Sam shrugged "Well there's no use wasting good rabbit then Mr. Frodo." Sam walked  
back to the fire and taking out a little knife, began to skin the rabbit.  
_____  
  
Liam watched as the two little ones ate her gift and she smiled. 'This is good,' she  
thought 'This is defiantly good thing.'  
____  
  
"This is not good." Gimli announced. The three Companions had followed the Orcs up  
the river and now across it.   
Legolas agreed with him "Master Gimli speaks the truth Aragorn, Orcs normally do not  
cross water, so what are they after? And with living prisoners."  
"I don't know Legolas." Aragorn admitted "But stay sharp, we don't have Pippin and  
Merry yet."  
The other two agreed and they were off again. Running swiftly in the night, praying for  
the safety of their friends. 


	5. And then the morning comes... and the ni...

Hi! Here's chapter 5. Finally! I'm sorry it took so long! As always I own nothing except Liam  
and I admit I'm ripping off Wheel Of Time just a little and I'm sorry I just realized it. Please r/r  
thanks! On to the story!  
  
  
  
Ch. 5 And then the morning comes... and the night.  
  
Sam and Frodo woke the next morning feeling the better for it. The wolf they had seen  
some how seemed comforting in memory, and the food had helped a great deal. They began to  
pack up for their journey up the mountain. Finally Frodo spoke what was on both their minds.  
"You think we'll see that wolf again Sam?" he asked.  
And then, before Sam could answer, as if on cue, the self same wolf from the night  
before stepped out of the forest. She gave what the hobbits supposed to be a smile and trotted  
forward. She glanced at Frodo and then Sam and then back to Frodo again and cocked her head  
to the side, as if to say, jokingly 'What? Still here?'  
Both hobbits were a little apprehensive but seeing as they hadn't been attacked yet they  
shrugged on their packs and started out, the strange wolf trodding behind. As they walked she  
occasionally disappeared but she always came back, either in front of them or a ways behind.  
She didn't seem sure enough, or maybe brave enough, yet to walk abreast with them. As it was  
by nightfall they were a mile or two up the mountain and had yet to run into the sharp, hard  
rocks Frodo and Sam remembered Gimli talking about.  
____  
  
Liam was ecstatic! This was great! They trusted her! They really trusted her! She felt like  
dancing or something, she didn't understand why but she was so happy! It wasn't like it was a  
really monumental occasion was it? After all, she knew she couldn't get attached to this, as soon  
as she had done her job and gotten Frodo home, safe and sound, whatever his burden was, she  
would be human again right? And she would be sent back home, back to where she belonged.  
But in her mind she couldn't help but wonder, when this all over, what did she have to go back  
to?  
  
And so night began to fall and Liam turned her eyes towards the east, praying for  
something she knew she could not have.  
____  
  
Sam studied their new canine companion, who in her turn, seemed to be studying the  
horizon to the east, like she half expected the sun to start rising the minute it set. She was a ways  
in front of them when suddenly she gave an odd little hop and threw her head back and howled  
with all her might. She seemed to scan the whole sky for a minute and then turning away from  
them ran off.  
Sam scratched his head "What do you suppose that was all about?"  
____  
  
He shrugged 'I suppose she deserves a reward.'  
____  
  
'I don't see the moon! I can't see the moon! I'll get to be human for a little while!' Liam  
skipped away threw the trees, as well as anything on four legs can skip, and waited merrily for ...  
being human. She turned back to the east and watched as the last bit of the sun sank.   
  
  
And then she waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
'Well this is disAHHHH!' a sudden pain hit her stomach and she screamed as it spread out to her  
legs and the tips her ears and her muzzle and everywhere. To the rest of the forest and truly all  
listening the sound the was one of hurt and pain, a ragged howl with a too human element to it.   
  
On the forest floor Liam shook and convulsed as the change came over her, in her mind   
she screamed again and again until the howl the forest heard turned into the sound she heard in  
her mind: a long sharp scream. Her bones broke and regrew and her origins rearranged  
themselves, a cut she had received on her muzzle disappeared as she relearned the agony of her  
first change. Finally it was over and she sat up, still shaking a bit from fear and other things. She  
looked out at the gloom and wondered how long twilight would last. Gathering herself she stood  
and studied herself. 'Two legs, two arms, two hands, two feet. All seems to be in order.' she  
found that she was wearing a simple sleeveless dress of wolf's skin, a dark black, very much like  
her coat. The hair on her head was still black, has it had been on Earth, and she longed for a  
mirror to make sure her eyes were still blue. She felt strange, but she imagined so many days in a  
different body would do that to a person. And so after awhile she began to walk, studying her  
new world with new human eyes.  
_____   
  
All three of the Companion's eyes snapped up as they heard a scream. "What could that  
be?" Gimli wondered.  
The three looked at each other. 'What now?' each one wondered.  
"It sounded like a woman." Legolas pointed out.  
"Then we have a duty to help her." Aragon said simply, sounding a little tired. "Split up  
and meet back here when the moon rises."  
_____  
  
Liam sat on a rock, 'In, out, in, out.' she repeated over and over in her mind, focusing on  
her breathing. She was still a little shook up from changing and to her chagrin had almost  
collapsed. But it was worth it though, it was worth every scream to be human again. She was so  
focused on her breathing and taking in the beauty of twilight she didn't see the man near her  
until he spoke.  
"Are you well Lady?" he asked "We heard a scream and were worried"  
Liam turned to look at the man confused. Lady? We? She studied him and her eyes  
widened and she grinned as realization struck . "First Brother!" she gasped not thinking "Oh it  
has been along time since a member of the First chose to speak to one of us!"  
  
Legalos blinked, now as confused as the maiden had been before. She was beautiful but  
when she turned to look at him her eyes were shimmering gold, like amber and her words  
confused him. "Us?" he finely asked, managing to grasp on to something.   
She looked confused again and then something seemed to dawn on her and even in the  
dark he could of swore she was blushing. she turned away from him looking back at the sky. "It  
is good to look at the world through human eyes again." she said simply if not a little sadly, "My  
apologies if I confused you First Brother."  
"Why do you call me First Brother?" Legolas asked.  
"When the Elves first came across the Sea they saw us and knew us for kindred. They  
knew all the animals as kindred, Brother and Sister they called us. They were the first among  
those to come which did and we remember this even though they do not. You are an elf and so  
you are among the First." she smiled then, "Unless of course you are not an elf," she teased "and  
just charlatan in disguise."  
Legolas chuckled at the joke "I am indeed an Elf, my Lady. But tell me, who is the 'we'  
you speak of?"  
The maiden sighed and looked down at her hands, almost seeming ashamed, "I am losing  
myself." she whispered and he knew it had not been meant for his ears. She glanced at the sky  
and suddenly jumped up. "I must go." she announced and began walking away.  
"Wait!" Legolas shouted. "Will I ever see you again?" It seemed important somehow.  
The maiden turned back to look at him, in that moment her gold eyes spoke of such a  
sadness as the make Legolas's heart want to break, "For your sake First." she told him, "I pray  
we do not." and then she turned and ran and was gone.  
_______  
  
'Stupid Stupid Stupid Stupid Girl!' Liam admonished herself later, after the moon had  
risen. 'You are human! Not wolf! No matter what you look like! That's why your on this idiot  
quest! To become human again!' she lay down of the ground, head between her paws and  
watched Frodo the Ringbearer sleep. He seemed so small and helpless laying there, shivering  
under his blankets 'Conner used to look a little like that when he slept.' she thought to herself.  
'Like a great weight was lifted and he could rest for a little while.' she sighed a wolfish sigh.  
'Will I even see my baby brother again?' she wondered 'Do I want to go back to that place a ruin  
his new found happiness? Oh but I don't want to be a wolf forever, and my mind is becoming  
more and more wolfish by the hour. What will I do? What will I do?'  
_______  
"Did anyone find anything?" Aragon asked, after they had all meet up again. Gimli shook  
his head, "Nothing but trees."  
"And what of you Legolas?" Aragon asked, "Did you find anything?"  
Legalos looked at his two friends, remembering the strange beautiful maiden and odd  
way she talked. "Nothing of consequence" he answered. 


End file.
